Historians Consensus On Five Best U.S. Presidents

[LuteHawk]

Historians rank U.S. Presidents based on leadership qualities,
achievements and positive impact on our nation. The following
is a consensus of our five best Presidents.

1. Abraham Lincoln
2. George Washington
3. Franklin D. Roosevelt
4. Teddy Roosevelt
5. Thomas Jefferson

Bottom Line: This is a honest ranking and difficult to argue with.
Do you agree or disagree with this list?

 

[jonesy5960]

Trump was way better than everyone with the possible exception of George Washington. Just ask him.

 

[millah_22]

Trump was way better than everyone with the possible exception of George Washington. Just ask him.

Way better at clugging a few cans of diet coke

 

[BrianNole777]

Agreed.

 

[jonesy5960]

Way better at clugging a few cans of diet coke

Not only was he better. He's done more for black people with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln. Just ask him.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

Historians rank U.S. Presidents based on leadership qualities,
achievements and positive impact on our nation. The following
is a consensus of our five best Presidents.

1. Abraham Lincoln
2. George Washington
3. Franklin D. Roosevelt
4. Teddy Roosevelt
5. Thomas Jefferson

Bottom Line: This is a honest ranking and difficult to argue with.
Do you agree or disagree with this list?

I don’t have any problem with it. Although Biden being the best president since Lincoln, Chis or others may want to bump Teddy or FDR.

 

[VodkaSam]

Trump was way better than everyone with the possible exception of George Washington. Just ask him.

Trump who lost to Joe Biden, is very scared of Kamal Harris, but…

Trump Says He Would Likely Beat George Washington And Abraham Lincoln In An Election

“I think it would have been very hard for them to beat me,” Trump said.

www.forbes.com

 

[BrunoMars420]

Historians rank U.S. Presidents based on leadership qualities,
achievements and positive impact on our nation. The following
is a consensus of our five best Presidents.

1. Abraham Lincoln
2. George Washington
3. Franklin D. Roosevelt
4. Teddy Roosevelt
5. Thomas Jefferson

Bottom Line: This is a honest ranking and difficult to argue with.
Do you agree or disagree with this list?

I think Dwight Eisenhower has an argument to be top 5 if not 3 with what he did post ww2. Then you have good arguments for Ronald Reagan, JFK, Andrew Jackson, Harry Truman, and Bill Clinton

 

[QChawks]

 

[BustingNarratives]

I would flip GW and Lincoln but that would be splitting hairs.

 

[DBQStarHawk]

I think Dwight Eisenhower has an argument to be top 5 if not 3 with what he did post ww2. Then you have good arguments for Ronald Reagan, JFK, Andrew Jackson, Harry Truman, and Bill Clinton

Agree. Was coming to post this.

 

[Scruddy]

That's a pretty solid list and a hard top 5 to break into. Hard to argue any one of those guys don't deserve that spot.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

Historians rank U.S. Presidents based on leadership qualities,
achievements and positive impact on our nation. The following
is a consensus of our five best Presidents.

1. Abraham Lincoln
2. George Washington
3. Franklin D. Roosevelt
4. Teddy Roosevelt
5. Thomas Jefferson

Bottom Line: This is a honest ranking and difficult to argue with.
Do you agree or disagree with this list?

Solid list.

 

[Finance85]

Historians rank U.S. Presidents based on leadership qualities,
achievements and positive impact on our nation. The following
is a consensus of our five best Presidents.

1. Abraham Lincoln
2. George Washington
3. Franklin D. Roosevelt
4. Teddy Roosevelt
5. Thomas Jefferson

Bottom Line: This is a honest ranking and difficult to argue with.
Do you agree or disagree with this list?

Disagree with FDR.

 

[funksouljon]

Disagree with FDR.

Presided over ending prohibition. That alone makes him a solid #3.

Lincoln managed to get the US into 2 wars...

 

[hexumhawk]

I would trade out Jefferson with IKE and flip Washington and Lincoln.

 

[RagnarLothbrok]

Trump was way better than everyone with the possible exception of George Washington. Just ask him.

“Many are saying it.”

 

[jonesy5960]

“Many are saying it.”

I heard that too!

 

[Randon]

All of which leads to the question: who was the worst president in US history? Was it James Buchanan or Donald Trump? Buchanan's support for the Supreme Court's ill-fated Dred Scott Decision, which basically approved slavery directly prior to the Civil War, ultimately defined his failed presidency. And then we have Donald Trump, who for the first time in the history of this country attempted to overturn the results of a free and fair presidential election by inciting an insurrection at the US Capitol. And besides the insurrection, Trump also tied to overturn the results of the election by orchestrating a fake electors scheme in seven states which would have illegally awarded those states' electoral votes to himself rather than Biden thus disenfranchising 13.4 million Biden voters. Conclusion: as bad as Buchanan was, Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 election far surpasses the failures of Buchanan and without question defines Trump as the worst president in US history.

 

[Tom Paris]

I think Dwight Eisenhower has an argument to be top 5 if not 3 with what he did post ww2. Then you have good arguments for Ronald Reagan, JFK, Andrew Jackson, Harry Truman, and Bill Clinton

Reagan?? He began the freaking wealth gap. He effed the middle class royally.

 

[ButtersHawk]

All of which leads to the question: who was the worst president in US history? Was it James Buchanan or Donald Trump? Buchanan's support for the Supreme Court's ill-fated Dred Scott Decision, which basically approved slavery directly prior to the Civil War, ultimately defined his failed presidency. And then we have Donald Trump, who for the first time in the history of this country attempted to overturn the results of a free and fair presidential election by inciting an insurrection at the US Capitol. And besides the insurrection, Trump also tied to overturn the results of the election by orchestrating a fake electors scheme in seven states which would have illegally awarded those states' electoral votes to himself rather than Biden thus disenfranchising 13.4 million Biden voters. Conclusion: as bad as Buchanan was, Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 election far surpasses the failures of Buchanan and without question defines Trump as the worst president in US history.

Alright I would like to ask one thing.... how many people died in the Civil War compared to Jan 6th?

 

[RollingBallofButcherKnives]

Historians rank U.S. Presidents based on leadership qualities,
achievements and positive impact on our nation. The following
is a consensus of our five best Presidents.

1. Abraham Lincoln
2. George Washington
3. Franklin D. Roosevelt
4. Teddy Roosevelt
5. Thomas Jefferson

Bottom Line: This is a honest ranking and difficult to argue with.
Do you agree or disagree with this list?

Thank you for you perspective.

 

[95Hawk]

All of which leads to the question: who was the worst president in US history? Was it James Buchanan or Donald Trump? Buchanan's support for the Supreme Court's ill-fated Dred Scott Decision, which basically approved slavery directly prior to the Civil War, ultimately defined his failed presidency. And then we have Donald Trump, who for the first time in the history of this country attempted to overturn the results of a free and fair presidential election by inciting an insurrection at the US Capitol. And besides the insurrection, Trump also tied to overturn the results of the election by orchestrating a fake electors scheme in seven states which would have illegally awarded those states' electoral votes to himself rather than Biden thus disenfranchising 13.4 million Biden voters. Conclusion: as bad as Buchanan was, Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 election far surpasses the failures of Buchanan and without question defines Trump as the worst president in US history.

Just finished Erik Larson’s “The Demon of Unrest”. Damn insightful book about the build up to the Civil War - with a specific focus on Fort Sumter.

Buchanan does not come off well in the book. Completely kicked the issue of slavery down the road to let Lincoln deal with it - while making concessions to the slave-holding states that satisfied no one.

 

[BrunoMars420]

Reagan?? He began the freaking wealth gap. He effed the middle class royally.

Began the wealth gap? Lol

Might want to go back further on the whole wealth gap argument

 

[RagnarLothbrok]

All of which leads to the question: who was the worst president in US history? Was it James Buchanan or Donald Trump? Buchanan's support for the Supreme Court's ill-fated Dred Scott Decision, which basically approved slavery directly prior to the Civil War, ultimately defined his failed presidency. And then we have Donald Trump, who for the first time in the history of this country attempted to overturn the results of a free and fair presidential election by inciting an insurrection at the US Capitol. And besides the insurrection, Trump also tied to overturn the results of the election by orchestrating a fake electors scheme in seven states which would have illegally awarded those states' electoral votes to himself rather than Biden thus disenfranchising 13.4 million Biden voters. Conclusion: as bad as Buchanan was, Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 election far surpasses the failures of Buchanan and without question defines Trump as the worst president in US history.

IMO:

Worst: Donald Trump
Second Worst: James Buchanan
Third Worst: Andrew Johnson

 

[funksouljon]

Reagan?? He began the freaking wealth gap. He effed the middle class royally.

Canceled Carter's plans for Mental Health support, which began the slide of less govt support for mental health with can be tied to multiple of our current issues. Homelessness, gun violence. The politicians since also own the iterative failure to support, but he started it IMO.

Ronald Reagan's shameful legacy: Violence, the homeless, mental illness

As president and governor of California, the GOP icon led the worst policies on mental illness in generations

www.salon.com

 

[mnole03]

Teddy over Eisenhower?

 

[seminole97]

FDR was terrible.
Ran against Hoover's spendthrift ways, and then exceeded them in historic fashion.

Tried to 'fix' the Great Depression with heaping helpings of socialism, and all we got was the only decade in American history with double digit unemployment.

Unable to get unemployment below double digits (due to unprecedented levels of federal economic intervention) he did his best to get the US into an overseas shooting war until he succeeded and got hundreds of thousands of Americans killed.

That's not even getting into his ego and 'President for Life' bullshit.

 

[Tom Paris]

Began the wealth gap? Lol

Might want to go back further on the whole wealth gap argument

It EXPLODED starting after 1980. CEO pay up 900% since. 10% for workers. Trickle down started with Reagan. He slashed the corporate tax rate. I love when people lol when they don’t know their history.

 

[MichaelKeller99]

A bunch of leftists rating presidents on everything BUT what they should be ranked on; their loyalty to the oath they took.

Don’t know if there were five good ones total, let alone five ‘best’. FDR and Lincoln were certainly awful presidents in regard to the constitution.

 

[seminole97]

Canceled Carter's plans for Mental Health support, which began the slide of less govt support for mental health with can be tied to multiple of our current issues. Homelessness, gun violence. The politicians since also own the iterative failure to support, but he started it IMO.

Ronald Reagan's shameful legacy: Violence, the homeless, mental illness

As president and governor of California, the GOP icon led the worst policies on mental illness in generations

www.salon.com

Reagan just turned that program into block grants. The states were given more say in how to spend the money.

The deinstituionalization began (as your article notes) before Reagan:


Since the deinstitutionalization movement of the 1960s, civil commitment in the United States almost always requires a finding of dangerousness -- both imminent and physical -- as determined by a judge. Most of the rest of the world has more reasonable standards -- you might almost call them "common sense" -- allowing family, friends and even acquaintances to petition for involuntarily commitment, with the final decision made by doctors.

The result of our laissez-faire approach to dangerous psychotics is visible in the swarms of homeless people on our streets, crazy people in our prison populations and the prevalence of mass shootings.

According to a 2002 report by Central Institute of Mental Health for the European Union, the number of involuntarily detained mental patients, per 100,000 people, in other countries looks like this:

• Austria, 175
• Finland, 218
• Germany, 175
• Sweden, 114
• England, 93

The absolute maximum number of mental patients per 100,000 people who could possibly be institutionalized by the state in the U.S. -- voluntarily or involuntarily -- is: 17. Yes, according to the Treatment Advocacy Center, there are a grand total of 17 psychiatric beds even available, not necessarily being used. In 1955, there were 340.

 

[BrunoMars420]

It EXPLODED starting after 1980. CEO pay up 900% since. 10% for workers. Trickle down started with Reagan. He slashed the corporate tax rate. I love when people lol when they don’t know their history.

Speaking of history, look into the gilded age. You might learn a thing or two about wealth inequality before 1980. PBS did a fantastic Documentary on it not too long ago.

Check out this fact, “In 1890, 92% of American families lived below the poverty line, with the average annual income for those earning less than $1,200 being $380. Meanwhile, the richest 9% of Americans held nearly 75% of the country's wealth. ”

I’m going to leave another lol for ya because you spiked the football far too soon Tommy

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

It EXPLODED starting after 1980. CEO pay up 900% since. 10% for workers. Trickle down started with Reagan. He slashed the corporate tax rate. I love when people lol when they don’t know their history.

To judge Reagan you have to also take into account what he inherited. Unemployment rate at 7.5% and high inflation.

After defeating Democratic President Jimmy Carter, the incumbent, Reagan inherited a sluggish economy, characterized by high inflation, high interest rates and persistent joblessness. As the 1980 presidential campaign unfolded, the inflation rate soared to 13.5 percent. During the early years of the Reagan presidency, the prime interest rate, which is set by the Federal Reserve, kept rising, reaching 21.5 percent in June 1982, as the Fed struggled to wring inflation out of the economy.

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/18/this-day-in-politics-february-18-1981-415852

He inherited a pretty shitty economy.

 

[Finance85]

It EXPLODED starting after 1980. CEO pay up 900% since. 10% for workers. Trickle down started with Reagan. He slashed the corporate tax rate. I love when people lol when they don’t know their history.

Now we know why you teach PE.

 

[Hock-I]

Historians rank U.S. Presidents based on leadership qualities,
achievements and positive impact on our nation. The following
is a consensus of our five best Presidents.

1. Abraham Lincoln
2. George Washington
3. Franklin D. Roosevelt
4. Teddy Roosevelt
5. Thomas Jefferson

Bottom Line: This is a honest ranking and difficult to argue with.
Do you agree or disagree with this list?

FDR setting up and locking Japanese Americans in concentration camps for years stains his reputation a little…

 

[torbee]

I can't believe there isn't more love for William McKinley!

 

[83Hawk]

Trump was way better than everyone with the possible exception of George Washington. Just ask him.

Not many presidents think they weren't one of the best.

 

[Rifler]

FDR setting up and locking Japanese Americans in concentration camps for years stains his reputation a little…

A decision driven by the time and conditions under which he served,.. Grossly unfair to apply current norms to historical figures...

 

[Torg]

Disagree with FDR.

FDR helped to create the strongest middle class that the world has ever seen. There has never been a strong middle class without help from big Government.

My guess is you are a Libertarian, right? Dog eat dog. May the meanest man win. No Government to help protect the people from the wealthy who will kill people to make an extra buck. And dare to call it Christian.

 

[jonesy5960]

Not many presidents think they weren't one of the best.

Maybe, but I've never heard anyone but Trump pronounce himself in such a manner as to make direct comparisons.

Trump Says He Would Likely Beat George Washington And Abraham Lincoln In An Election

“I think it would have been very hard for them to beat me,” Trump said.

www.forbes.com